Around five minutes earlier GeoNet detected another quake, measuring 3.3. It was centred 25 kms north-east of Auckland at a depth of 23 kilometres.

Many Aucklanders said they barley felt the first earthquake, but the second quake was much stronger.

Readers who emailed the Herald described it as being like a large truck going past, a gust of wind or a truck colliding with the house.

Bev Hooper of Stanmore Bay said she though the first quake was "a bit odd" but the second quake came as a bigger jolt.

"It felt like a truck had hit the side of the house. Just a hard jolt."

Paremoremo resident Catherine Casey said she and her husband heard a "massive rumble" about 4.05pm.

"My husband thought it was a gust of wind but we had no wind. I said I think it was an earthquake ... I am deaf in one ear but it was loud and I felt the vibration. I thought it was a tornado."

A resident of Rothesay Bay on the North Shore said the second quake lasted from 30 seconds to a minute.

The walls of her lounge moved, shifting a painting, and the cups in front of her rattled loudly.

The earthquake was a first for Glenfield resident Maree Lawson, who has lived on the North Shore her whole life.

"Never experienced anything like that. I was watching a DVD on my bed, then the bed starts shaking like someone was underneath it ... very freaky."

Sunnynook resident Val said the quakes felt like "a very strong gust of wind shaking the house". The floor moved rapidly for a few seconds and the cat fled as the house shuddered.

A Torbay resident said her whole room started shaking during the first quake.

"I thought someone just crashed into the house! It lasted for 10 seconds and when I looked outside everything was fine ... About four minutes later, my whole house started shaking and I heard my siblings scream and I ran to their aid."

Kim said she thought she'd had "one wine too many" until her neighbour confirmed her shock that there had been an earthquake.